New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-09
HOW TO BE SICK IN COMFORT
HOSPITAL PATIENTS WHO PAY.

q
and carriages at Irish funeral Hospitals the sell
supporting and respectable classes argned were good
enough for poor the homeless and the unfortunate
But no going independence could st0op now
ever costly and wretched the treatment at home 10 the
humiliation Of the hospitals offer Of public aims.
This prejudice, doubt has fingered in good many
peoples minds, and there in fact In the New-fork
hospitals n0w comparatively few patients who can
afford to pay for the Indifferent treatment outside
In the charity hospitals proper no sort OF return Is
looked for and none is made But even In the SEMI
private institutions like ST. Luke's, the Roosevelt and
tho Hospitals fully rs per cent of the patients
are cared for or the other % cent some pay
nominal board, some pay board and small additional
fees The smallest fraction Of all pays handsomely for
rooms service and treatment turning the big lnfrnary,
as far MS possible. into luxurious invalid hotel
With the advantages in the way of nursing and treat
rept that the highcass hospitals offer the prejudice
that has kept this last class Of pay patients 80 small
must be deep rooted But as life gets more com
nex here and the homo idea week.-mrs. the hospitals VIII
neces arily be more and crowded with the weio-
do People Of means viii find substitute Tor the best
bome treatment In the luxurcs and conveniences OF
hg inarmary Richly furnished rooms, or suites dell
Catchy prepared food trained nursing ana established
nnedeal skl--al these the most progressive CITY
hospitals will be Offering thei WI" rcau''y 'o''
the problem of treatment for all those who can pay
MORE PRIVATE ROOMS AT HOSPITALS NEEDED
something in fact has already been done In this drec
great hospitals mentioned above which can ne reheu
Inv the week or month"; with service and medical treat
ment thrown n Just any one would rent rooih WIN
board ut a hotel. The NewYork liospit mas h'c sum
rooms and the Roosevelt has hve 81 Luxe has "",y
one now but in a few weeks when its new building IN
Fifty-fourh-st is opened 1t Will have thirteen Ine
managers Of ST. Lkcs have been among the hst 70 $50
rich source of revenue as well prase|orthy ncld
of hospital work in this enlarged department. Ior pay
notiops The rates for the will be put high
cnoueh 10 weld a considerable profit to the general
hospital fand, and the indrmarys usefulness I'D tue
charity department sill be thereby largely increaei
Al the same time people who pay for good treat
rent but find announcement or annoying to lie IN mats
APARTMENT houses or cramped and noisy home quarters
will be able to get in tine hospital all those comforts OF
qet attendance and nursing when count TOT 50 mucn
in recovering from any disease
The tendency all the city hospitals now is 10 enlarge
the present buildings and increase the medical stan
There is demand everywhere for more room and many
deserving patients have to be turned away each week.
A gradual building up of the pay patient department
will do a good deal toward setting all the hospitals on
nrner financial basis Nor need 1t really interfere with
any hospitals nobler charity work.
SICK LIFE MADE A. PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE
Few people perhaps. have any idea OF the comforts
and advantages that can be had in ighclass hospital
II one is willing there and pay for them The ianil-
lar notion of hospital. rows of narrow white cots run
ming up and down and big open ward. seems
absurd and anciful after look OF these prctty
furnished private rooms The ceiling is high. the
windows are broad and deep and the light falls brightly
through them between the heavy curtains. The
bel In tho corner Is soft AMI sprngy the oor hddeh
with rug or two II it is winter fire Of split logs or
camel coal IA burning merrily in the open CRATE.
Ever, thing has an air Of quiet comfort the look OF
fasiidous ba chelors ia some hotel or apartment
house.
The sick mans friends may see him when they
fpffpi 1iVa NlT
IN his own or an adjoining room if the dangerous
enough for that lie his own nurse either from
the hospital stan from outside. His meals are sent III
from the hospital kitchen, the doctor in attendance
ordering what he shall eat But II the case allow lie
may have any dccacy he peascs from restaurant OF
from home. With the exception Of the physician ID
charge. there IS to restrict his movements or
actions The ordinary hospital rules are suspended ana
the patient Is as much his master ana as irce from
the faint accepting CHARITY II he had chartered the
whole innrmary for himself and his friends.
The opening of the twelve private rooms Mt 81
Iukes this fall will probably double the number OF pay
patients for next year At that hospital at least the
percentage OF pay patients will be raised to something
like - or 80 per Taking the Newiork, Roosevelt
and ST Luke together probably only 20 per cent OF all
tho patients the last year two have paid their way
Some OF these too. have paid only for board getting
nursing and attendance free Employers In many cases
have paid In fu part for employed injured while
on duty The rule OF the hospital Is TO take whatever
pay the patient afford give. As superintendent
Ludlow OF the Hospital put IL the other day;
tell everybody that comes here that this IS not
free hospital Yet think that deserving case is
ever turned away And from - 10 50 per cent OF the
people treated hero pay nothing at all"
CHARGES AT THE NEwYoEK HOSPITAL
At the York Hospital there Is room for about las
patients Emergency have the preference always
and those are taken without any agreement "a to
charges The patents put in the big wards gener-
ally where the cots open and In sight OF an
other Board is charged at the rate OF - a week
II the injured and the bill Some
OF the ward beds curtlined or allowed They are
occupied by patients who pay the charges for board
but get medical attendance free. II all the private
taken the pay patients proper for the sake Of
immediate treatment sometimes agree 10 be put out
here.
Tho five private II Is scarcely necessary 10 say
always in demand. They vary IN size and appoint
mcnts. and the tents for them from SIS to $50
week. The smallest can be had for So. slightly
brings $50 and another $50 every
thing except the services OF special nurse II friend
relative lives with the patient four Of the rooms
big enough for this an extra chargGqt $40 week IL
patient leaves the hostpa before the week runs out
money for the extra days IS returned faer suffering
10 the Ncw-York Hospital and oply acute cases not
chronic ones are treated there ssI OF high tarn Is
and tho rest taken at the nearly pphbory rate OF
So n day
MORE NEW ROOMS AT ST. LUKE'S
st Lukes Hospital is little larger than the NewYork.
II has for about 1876 patients at time Tho
fine new building which will be opened this MONTH will
largely increase its capacity, however The new wing
will be given mp to the and the medical and
ho rooms in the main building. which they occupy
viii be turned into wards and private rooms and suites
pay patients There will be thirteen OF these private
sets altogether. single rooms double AMI suites
rhe charges will be somewhat higher than mt the other
hospitals They vary httlc. TOO for men and for
women
For women tho rent Of single room VIII he $50 a
week A large single room. with private bathroom
attached will cost $40 week. Double rooms. with two
beds apiece them, will lee 81 week for each patient.
large with three beds In IL and private bath
room attached will rent for SIS n week For mon there
will be some small double rooms Just on the wards. for
$50 a week Two beds can be put In any of these The
large with three beds Ia them will rent for $40
IL. fnr